Portland State golfer A Ram Choi just finished up another record-setting fall season—her second at this school. Last year as a sophomore, she set a school scoring record with an average round of 74.90. During the fall season she bettered that mark with an average of 74.25.
The Price’s Give ‘Em Five tournament in Las Cruces, N.M., held Oct. 7–9 was the final event on the fall schedule. The play of Choi, along with a career best round of 68 from sophomore Riley Leming, had the Vikings two strokes off University of California Irvine’s lead going into the final day. With a third round 67, Choi was able to finish first on the individual scoreboard—six under par with a three day total of 208. Her total for the week annihilates her previous 54 hole best of 216.
This was the second time Choi had a round of 67, the first time being when she joined Britney Yada as the PSU record holder for a single round. Choi had five birdies on the front nine and was able to coast into the clubhouse even-par after the turn, playing safe golf and guarding her lead. Leming’s individual total of 214 was good for a tie for second place and helped the Vikings finish the fall season with a win for the team.
Choi was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Year last season, and she is making a strong case to repeat this year. With 32 birdies in competition, she is making it look easy. In addition to the year-end award, Choi has also been honored as the Big Sky Golfer of the Week on six occasions during her time at PSU. The Surrey, British Columbia native is currently listed at No. 368 on the USGA World Amateur Golf Ranking, and No. 114 in the NCAA rankings.
Other highlights of her season include top ten finishes in the Washington State University Cougar Cup and the Rose City Collegiate Tournament, played at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora. She finished second in the Bronco Fall Classic at Falcon Crest Golf Course in Kuna, Idaho. Choi also had a second place finish at the Folino Invitational in Industry Hills, Calif. The junior beat the field at the Oregon Women’s Stroke Play Championship at the Lewis River Golf Course, which is oddly enough in Woodland, Wash., last August before PSU’s season started.
Choi’s play helped her team to strong finishes in all of the events they entered this fall: third at the Bronco Classic, sixth at the Cougar Cup, fifth at the Rose City and the win in New Mexico. Recently hired coach Kailin Downs now has a few months to get her team—and her star golfer—ready for the spring season. The Vikings began the Price’s Give ‘Em Five tournament as the No. 111 ranked team in the country. Their win in New Mexico and the outstanding play of Choi should move that number well under 100 before play resumes. The team plays the first of six spring events Feb. 24–25 at the UC Irvine Invitational. Look for Choi to continue her dominant play then.
